Halloween - revised!
by Arrabella Arithmancy
Summary: I revised it! (much better now!) I want opinions! (reviews make my day, hint hint, nudge nudge.)


Halloween  
  
_______  
  
Harry walked into the Great Hall and looked around. The walls were covered in orange and  
black streamers, with candles placed on stands spaced around. Bats flew around and hung  
from the ceiling.  
  
It was the first annual Hogwarts Halloween Costume Dance. The students were supposed  
to come dressed as a famous witch or wizard. Not wanting to come as himself, Harry had   
dressed up as Merlyn, complete with beard and hat. His costume emitted a slight shimmery  
glow. Hermione had given him the charm for it.  
  
As a matter of fact, Harry was looking for Hermione. She had been working on a costume  
for months, trying out different ones. She would tell no one who she was going as. Harry  
would never have thought she could get so worked up about a dance, but she had changed a  
lot since first coming to Hogwarts. She was quieter around Harry, not so bossy, either. She  
seemed to always stop talking when Harry was near. She never looked into his eyes  
anymore. Harry hoped she wasn't mad at him.  
  
Harry looked, but he still didn't see Hermione. He shrugged, then headed over towards the  
refreshments table.  
  
Suddenly, Colin Creevey came bouncing into view. To Harry's annoyance, Colin was dressed  
as Harry, complete with black wig, green eyes, glasses, and scar. Harry figured he must have  
used a color-changing charm on his eyes.  
  
Colin started talking nonstop. His age hadn't dulled his admiration of Harry, although he  
did have a girlfriend. His girlfriend happened to be Ginny Weasley. Ron had taken some  
time to get used to it.  
  
"Hiya, Harry! Do you like my costume? I came as you because you're the most famous  
wizard of our generation and I heard you weren't coming as you. Why didn't you, huh?  
You are the most famous. I mean, you defeated You-know-who and his followers!" Colin  
spoke all this in one breath. Then, he seemed to see someone on the other side of the hall.  
"Oh, there's Ginny. I better go see her. Anyway, nice talking to you! Bye!" Colin bounced   
off.  
  
Harry shook his head. Colin had gotten no less annoying.  
  
He walked to the table and poured some punch. As he looked up, he saw someone that  
took his breath away.  
  
The most beautiful girl he had ever seen stood in front of him. She was obviously dressed  
as Morgana, King Arthur's stepsister. Morgana was the one Merlyn fell in love with.  
  
The girl's costume consisted of a long, flowy black dress with long sleeves, black   
eyeshadow, a necklace set with a large, red stone and a black tiara. Her brown hair was   
neatly tied back.  
  
As Harry looked more closely, the girl blushed. Harry realized it was Hermione!  
  
"Hermione! I didn't... I mean... You look so different!" Harry stammered.  
  
Hermione just laughed. "Thanks, I think." She blushed again.  
  
Harry tilted his head. "No, really. You look absolutly gorgeous." He looked at her again.  
She met his eyes, then looked down. Harry reached for her hand. "Would you like to dance?"  
  
"Well... I guess so. Sure!" Hermione smiled shyly.  
  
The dance was a popular song that went very fast, so there was no time to talk. It was a  
swing, and despite the costumes, the two danced so well they soon had a ring of people  
around them, cheering them on. As they finished a very complicated step, a scream came  
from across the hall. Everyone turned to see what was the matter.  
  
Colin Creevey was standing next to someone laying on the grounds. Professor McGonagall,  
dressed as the Gingerbread House witch, ran over. As the crowd parted to make way, Harry  
realized that the person laying on the ground was Ginny Weasley. He gasped. Ginny's leg  
was twisted at on odd angle.  
  
Professor McGonagall conjured up a stretcher and Ginny was floated away. As they left,  
Harry and Hermione ran over to Colin.  
  
"What happened?" asked Hermione.  
  
"I don't know," Colin replied. "We were trying a hard spin when she tripped. I guess she  
just tripped over my shoe." Colin looked sadly down at the aforementioned article of  
clothing.  
  
"Oh. Well, don't blame yourself, Colin. It was just an accident." Harry tried to console his  
depressed schoolmate.  
  
***  
  
Despite whatever his friends may say, Colin blamed himself and wouldn't move from   
Ginny's side until Madame Pomfrey bodily hauled him out. Colin just sat by the door  
until some sympathetic teacher let him back to Ginny's side or Snape came along and gave  
him detention. Colin watched the clock in class. He skipped meals. He got almost no sleep.  
  
Ginny's injury was a leg broken in many places, and she was healed in to days, but she   
stayed in bed for a week. Colin's friends were glad when she was better.  
  
***  
  
Hermione and Harry started to hang out more together.  
  
On Hogsmeade weekends, they went out for butterbeers. On normal weekends, they sat  
by the lake and talked. The Weasley twins started to tease them.  
  
"Oh, Hermione! What a catch!"  
  
"When's the wedding? Can I be best man?"  
  
"So, Potter. Finally made your choice?"  
  
Cho Chang walked around in a huff. She had always harbored dreams about Harry.  
  
However, despite Cho, one evening in the common room, Harry and Hermione  
sat by the fire. Everone else had gone to bed. Harry looked at Hermione, and Hermione  
smiled at him. He seemed to be mustering his courage for something.  
  
Finally, he took her hand and went down on one knee. Hermione grinned.  
  
"Been reading Shakespeare?"  
  
Harry grinned and reached into his pocket. "No, you're prettier than Juliet ever could have  
been." Hermione blushed at the compliment.  
  
Harry pulls out a box that obviously holds a ring. He drops Hermione's hand to open it,  
then takes her hand again.  
  
"Hermione Ann Granger. I love you with all my heart, and will for all eternity. I know  
that you are the one I want to spend the rest of my life with. Will you marry me?"  
  
Hermione smiles, then looks into the box. She picks up the ring, which is very strange. It  
seems to have a mirror on it.  
  
Harry explains quickly. "It's a viewing ring. It will show you anything good that is in the  
present. No past or future. Just ask it to show you something."  
  
Hermione looks at him and grins. She speaks to the ring. "My answer."  
  
She looked into it, then turned the ring so Harry could see it.  
  
The ring read: 'yes.' 


End file.
